The National Treasury has approved a Sh150 million expenditure for the purchase of new outrider motorcycles for President Uhuru Kenyatta’s motorcade.
The spending had been catered for in the supplementary budget tabled before the National Assembly on March 15 that is set for passage when members of Parliament return from recess on Tuesday.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery on Tuesday told the assembly’s Security Committee that the Cabinet approved the purchase before the request was made to Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich.
In the supplementary budget, Mr Nkaissery’s ministry was allocated Sh9.4 billion, including the motorbikes budget.
Appearing before the House team chaired by Tiaty MP Asman Kamama, the CS justified the purchase, saying the ones in use were old.
The motorcycles are used to clear the way for the President’s motorcade.
“They are getting old and the Cabinet cleared us to get new ones,” said Mr Nkaissery.
The Cabinet is usually chaired by the President.
Committee members did not appear too interested in asking further questions about the acquisition, with most making general comments.
Supplementary budgets are normally presented to cover a budgetary deficit or to clear pending bills and, so far, those placed before the House have been passed without a hitch.
In addition to the presidential bikes, Mr Rotich also gave the green light for the Interior Ministry to spend Sh624 million from the additional money on 2,900 motorcycles for chiefs.
The CS said the motorcycles would ease the movement of the administrators within their jurisdictions.
So far, 2,000 chiefs have been given motorbikes and the remaining 2,500 will receive theirs when the supplementary budget is approved.
The Treasury also approved Sh2.2 billion to train new police officers, who are being recruited.
Despite the allocations, however, Mr Nkaissery had no kind words for the Treasury, saying it did not understand how the security ministry operates.
His remark followed the Treasury’s decision to allocate his ministry Sh9.4 billion instead of the Sh21 billion he had requested.
-nation.co.ke
